This invention relates to multimedia systems, and more particularly to script-based client-server systems with remote storage of the main database. A main object of client-server systems is to provide limited-memory client machines (e.g. personal computers) with access to a voluminous database stored in a central server. The link between the server and the client machines is commonly accomplished by means of a single data line by employing time division multiplexing with the on-line client machines.
Generally, with such an arrangement, when a client machine requests server-stored data there results a passage of a significant "click-wait-watch" time period while the server proceeds to transmit the desired data to the client machines's local memory along a limited-bandwidth (i.e. relatively slow) information channel. With many multimedia applications, this slow response time renders the application significantly less useful (and in some cases unworkable).
This problem has been a major obstacle to efficient use of the client-server technique to advanced multimedia applications.
It is therefore an object of the instant invention to reduce the latency period for client receipt of requested information in client-server multimedia environments.
It is a further object of the instant invention to supply only the currently potentially-needed data to the client machine just in time upon request.
It is yet a further object of the instant invention to provide a script-analyzing compiler program that controls the pre-fetching of data in accordance with specific applications' script routines.